Snap connector

ABSTRACT

A connector ( 10 ) includes a housing ( 34 ) and an arm ( 43 ) pivotally connected to the housing ( 34 ). A hook ( 48 ) is formed on one end of the arm ( 43 ) and a spring ( 49 ) is positioned between the arm ( 43 ) and the housing ( 34 ). The connector ( 10 ) can be used to attach two items of many configurations together, but it is particularly suited to attach strap ends of an item such as a halter ( 11 ) having a strap ( 12 ) and a strap ( 13 ) interconnected by a plurality of tab straps ( 20, 21, 22 ). The strap ( 12 ) is interrupted to form a portion ( 32 ) carrying the connector ( 10 ) and another portion ( 31 ) carrying an o-ring ( 29 ) which can be engaged between the hook ( 48 ) and the housing ( 34 ).

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates to an improved snap for quickly connecting ordisconnecting two items. The snap is particularly useful to connect ordisconnect two straps of a horse halter or the like.

BACKGROUND ART

In many fields, the need exists to quickly connect or disconnect twoitems such as the end of a pet leash to the collar of a pet, or twostraps of a halter for a horse. There has been a universally acceptedsnap hook which has traditionally been used for such purposes. Thishook, which would be carried at the end of one of the items, is j-shapedin configuration having an arm with a hook which is designed to engagethe other item formed at one end of the arm. A spring-loaded clasp armhas one end carried at the other end of the arm with its other end beingselectively engageable with the open portion of the hook. When engagingan item, the clasp arm is biased against the hook to confine the itemwithin the hook. By applying a force to the clasp arm, it can be movedaway from the hook, and the item that was previously being engaged canbe removed from the space formed between the clasp arm and the hook.

While these types of snap hooks have served their purpose in manyapplications for many years, they are not without their problems for atleast some applications. In particular, the spring tension on the clasparm must be strong enough to maintain the item within the hook while atthe same time not be so strong as to make it difficult for the user toopen the snap. Thus, oftentimes when a quick connecting or disconnectingsnap is desirable, the minimal tension on the clasp arm to enable one toperform the task quickly is insufficient to prevent accidental unhookingof the item.

When employed in applications such as to attach the open ends of a horsehalter to affix the halter to the horse, such problems are compoundedbecause the junction must be strong, yet the hooking action must takeplace quickly before the horse determines that it does not want toreceive the halter. Moreover, when these snap hooks were first employedon halters, the clasp arm was positioned facing away from the body ofthe horse. As such, movement of the horse might allow the clasp arm tocome into contact with an item, such as the fence of a pasture, whichcould either open the halter and release the horse, or cause the hook toengage the fence thereby attaching the horse to the fence. As a resultof this potential hazard, more recently the snap hooks have been turnedaround so that the clasp arm is against the body of the horse. However,not only does such a positioning make it harder to move the clasp arm,but also this positioning can cause an irritable rubbing on the body ofthe horse.

The need exists, therefore, for a snap connector which can beuniversally used for all applications while at the same time beacceptable for certain specialized applications such as for the halterof a horse.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

It is thus an object of the present invention to provide a snapconnector which can be quickly and easily operated to connect two itemstogether or to disconnect those items.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a snapconnector, as above, which securely engages the items to be connectedand yet is operable to connect or disconnect the items with a minimalforce.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a snapconnector, as above, which is not susceptible to accidental opening,thereby inadvertently releasing an item.

It is an additional object of the present invention to provide a snapconnector, as above, which is readily adaptable for use in horse haltersor the like.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a snapconnector, as above, which when used in a halter does not present asafety hazard to the horse.

It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a snapconnector, as above, which when used in a halter does not present anirritant to the horse.

These and other objects of the present invention, as well as theadvantages thereof over existing prior art forms, which will becomeapparent from the description to follow, are accomplished by theimprovements hereinafter described and claimed.

In general, an apparatus for connecting a first item to a second itemmade in accordance with the present invention includes a housing adaptedto be attached to the first item and an arm pivotally connected to thehousing. A hook is formed on one end of the arm and a spring ispositioned between the arm and the housing to bias the hook end of thearm toward the housing so that the second item may be retained betweenthe hook and the housing.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a connectorcan be used in conjunction with an animal halter which includes a firststrap adapted to be received around the nose and chin of the animal anda second strap adapted to be received around the head and throat of theanimal. A plurality of tabs connect the straps, and at least one of thestraps is interrupted to form first and second strap ends. The connectoris carried by the first strap end and includes a housing and an armpivotally connected to the housing. A spring is positioned between thearm and the housing to bias the arm so that the second strap end may bemaintained between the arm and the housing.

A preferred exemplary snap connector and horse halter made in accordancewith the present invention are shown by way of example in theaccompanying drawings without attempting to show all the various formsand modifications in which the invention might be embodied, theinvention being measured by the appended claims and not by the detailsof the specification.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a depiction of the head of a horse wearing a halter which isprovided with a snap connector made in accordance with the presentinvention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a snap connector made in accordance withthe present invention and being shown in the closed position.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the snap connector of FIG. 2 shown inthe open position.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the snap connector taken substantiallyalong line 4—4 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken substantially along line 5—5 of FIG. 4.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

A snap connector made in accordance with the present invention isgenerally indicated by the numeral 10 and is shown in FIG. 1 as beingutilized in conjunction with a halter, generally indicated by thenumeral 11, for a horse. However, as will become particularly evidentfrom the description to follow, snap connector 10 is quite suitable forany application wherein one item is to be connected to another item.

Halter 11 includes a poll and throat strap generally indicated by thenumeral 12, and a nose and chin strap generally indicated by the numeral13. Straps 12 and 13 can be made of any suitable material, such asnylon, leather or the like, which is strong and yet which providescomfort to the horse. The size of strap 12 is rendered adjustable to thesize of the horse by means of a buckle 14 having a tongue 15 to bereceived in a selected one of a plurality of grommet-reinforced holes16. Similarly, the size of strap 13 is rendered adjustable dependent onthe size of the horse by means of a buckle 17 having a tongue 18 to bereceived in a selected one of a plurality of grommet-reinforced holes19.

Straps 12 and 13 are interconnected by a series of tab straps which caninclude opposed cheek tabs 20 and 21 which run along the sides of theface of the horse, and a throat tab 22 which runs under the horse's headgenerally along its throat. Tabs 20, 21, 22 maintain straps 12 and 13 ina fixed position relative to each other, and they too can be made of anysuitable material such as nylon, leather, or the like.

Halter 11 is shown as having several types of mechanisms which attachtabs 20, 21 and 22 to straps 12 and 13, at least some of which may beinterchangeable. For example, cheek tabs 20 and 21 are shown as beingconnected to nose and chin strap 13 by means of three-way halter squares23 and 24, respectively. Such halter squares allow multiple straps tointersect and be maintained in a fixed position. As such, strap 13 isdivided into a nose portion 25 having its ends attached to one side ofeach halter square 23 and 24 and a chin portion 26 having its endsattached to the opposed side of each halter square 23 and 24. Cheek tabs20 and 21 then each have one end attached to a third side of haltersquares 23 and 24, respectively. These attachments may be accomplishedin any conventional manner but usually are created by threading the endsof the straps 20, 21, 25 and 26 through tab openings in halter squares23 and 24 and then sewing them back on themselves to form loops whichthereby engage the sides of halter squares 23 and 24.

An o-ring 27, which is shown to be in the form of a floating o-ring, isprovided around chin portion 26 of strap 13, and it carries one end ofthroat tab 22 by means of a ring 28 carried by that end of tab 22. Ring28 is shown as preferably being triangular in configuration having oneof the intersections of its sides contacting o-ring 27, but it too couldbe an o-ring or even a d-ring. The connection of the ring 28 to thefloating o-ring 27 allows throat tab 22 to center itself on chin portion26 of strap 13. In addition, a lead (not shown) may be attached too-ring 27 to enable the horseman to guide or otherwise control thehorse.

The other ends of cheek tabs 20 and 21 are attached, as by the loopspreviously described, to o-rings 29 and 30, respectively. O-rings 29 and30 divide strap 12 into a poll or head portion 31 and a throat portion32. Thus, one end of head portion 31 is connected to o-ring 29, and itsother end is connected to o-ring 30. Throat portion 32 is shown as beingat least in part rounded for comfort and has one end attached to o-ring30. The other end of throat portion 32 is shown as carrying snapconnector 10 which is engaging o-ring 29 and which will be hereinafterdescribed in detail. Throat portion 32 also receives and carries theother end of throat tab 22 via a loop 33 formed at the end thereof.

Halter 11 may be placed on a horse without disturbing the predeterminedsizes of straps 12 and 13 as selected by the positioning of buckles 14and 17, respectively. With snap connector 10 disengaged from o-ring 29,strap 13 is positioned around the nose and chin of the horse and theopen strap 12 is positioned so that upon the engagement of o-ring 29 bysnap connector 10, as shown in FIG. 1, the halter is properly installed.

Such can be accomplished quickly and safely by snap connector 10, thedetails of which are shown in FIGS. 2-5. Connector 10 is preferably madeof a metallic material and includes a housing, generally indicated bythe numeral 34, which includes a generally flat unobstructed base 35which can rest against the face of the horse without irritating thehorse. Opposed sidewalls 36 extend from base 35 and are formed with alip 37 at one end thereof. A slot 38 is formed rearwardly of the lip 37in each sidewall 36. An end wall 39 extends from one end of base 35between lips 37. The other end of base 35 is formed with a crossbar 40spaced from a second crossbar 41 (FIG. 4) to define a slot 42therebetween. The end of halter throat portion 32 may be receivedthrough slot 42, and it may then loop around crossbar 40 and be sewnback upon itself to form a loop attachment to crossbar 40. As a result,in this manner throat portion 32 carries snap connector 10.

Snap connector 10 also includes a lock arm generally indicated by thenumeral 43 which in one position (FIGS. 2, 4 and 5) is totally receivedwithin the profile of housing 34. Lock arm 43 includes a faceplate 44having opposed arms 45 extending downwardly therefrom generally parallelto housing sidewalls 36. A pivot pin 46 is carried between housingsidewalls 36 and is also received through arms 45 of lock arm 43. As aresult, lock arm 43 is pivotally carried by housing 34 on pin 46.

Faceplate 44 extends within housing 34 and has a pressure end 47situated generally adjacent to the end of housing 34 having slot 42, anda hook end 48 situated generally adjacent to the end of housing 34having lips 37 and end wall 39. A torsion spring 49 is positioned aroundpin 46 and bears against housing base 35 and pressure end 47 of plate 44to urge hook end 48 downwardly into housing 34 between lips 37 to form,with slot 38, a generally oval capturing compartment 50.

When in its normal position under the influence of spring 49, faceplate44 is recessed within, and protected from accidental contact by, housingsidewalls 36. In addition, hook end 48 is positioned within, andprotected from accidental contact by, end wall 39 and lips 37, while atthe same time forming compartment 50. As such, a connecting member suchas o-ring 29 may be captured and securely maintained within compartment50 thereby attaching one item to another item, such as in the instanceshown in FIG. 1, attaching strap head portion 31 to strap throat portion32. If it is desired to open compartment 50 to permit removal of theitem contained therein, or for insertion of an item into compartment 50,one need only to apply downward pressure to pressure end 47 of faceplate44 to overcome the bias of spring 49 and move lock arm 43 from the FIG.2 to the FIG. 3 position. As is clearly evident from FIG. 3, slot 38 isnow open and an item such as o-ring 29 can be readily removed from orinserted into snap connector 10.

In view of the foregoing, it should be evident that a snap connectorconstructed as described herein can quickly and easily attach items toeach other or detach items from each other, such as the components of ahorse halter or the like, thereby accomplishing the objects of theinvention and otherwise substantially improving the art.

What is claimed is:
 1. A halter comprising a first strap adapted to bereceived around the nose and the chin of an animal; a second strapadapted to be received around the head and the throat of an animal; aplurality of tabs connecting said straps, at least one of the strapsbeing interrupted to form a first strap end and a second strap end; aconnector carried by said first strap end, said connector including ahousing, said housing having a slot, an arm pivotally connected to saidhousing, said arm having a hook, said slot as viewed in profile formingwith said hook a compartment to confine said second strap end, and aspring between said arm and said housing to bias said arm to a closedposition so that said second strap end may be maintained in saidcompartment with said arm being totally within the profile of andprotected by said housing.
 2. The halter of claim 1 further comprising apin carried by said housing, said arm being pivotable relative to saidhousing on said pin.
 3. The halter of claim 2 wherein said pin ispositioned between the ends of said arm so that engaging one end of saidarm moves the other end of said arm away from said housing.
 4. Thehalter of claim 1 wherein said housing includes a crossbar at one endthereof, said first strap end having a loop received around saidcrossbar.
 5. The halter of claim 1 wherein said housing includes a baseand opposed sidewalls extending away from said base.
 6. The halter ofclaim 5 wherein said arm is positioned between said sidewalls and withinthe profile of said sidewalls when said spring is biasing said armtoward said housing.
 7. The halter of claim 5 further comprising a pinextending between said sidewalls and carrying said arm.
 8. The halter ofclaim 7 wherein said spring is carried by said pin.
 9. The halter ofclaim 1 further comprising a buckle to adjust the size of said firststrap and a buckle to adjust the size of said second strap.